Controller



P 28, 1965 G. L. LEONARD ETAL 3,208,299

CONTROLLER Filed April 15, 1964 so ga 74 g 54 2 76 64 8 INVENTORS.

84 6 sum/.0 L. LEONARD and 84 JESSE w. .SHALLA so a? 82 By M 90 8 [8690 6 A TTOR/VEY United States Patent Office 3,288,299 Patented Sept. 28, 1965 3, 3, CONTROLLER Gerald L. Leonard, 6973 Van Buren, CrownPoint, Ind, and Jesse W. Shalla, 2424 W. 57th Place, Gary, Ind. Filed Apr. 15, 1964, SenNo. 359,977 8 Claims. (Cl. 74491) This invention relates to a controller and more particularly to a controller for use with two potentiometers. There are various situations in which it is desired to adjust or move two parts in unison. For example, two potentiometers may be used in a control system where it is necessary for the relationship of the outputs of the potentiometers to remain constant as they are varied. In such case it may be desired to have a central or neutral position and to vary from this position in two directions. If this is done by varying each potentiometer separately difficulty arises in determining that the potentiometers have the same setting or are in a neutral position. In some installations it is also desirable that the setting at various positions be known.

It is therefore an object of our invention to provide a controller which will normally be in a neutral position, but which may be moved to either side of neutral and will return automatically to neutral when released.

Another object of our invention is to provide such a controller which may be readily adjusted for known movement on either side of neutral.

Still another object is to provide such a controller which may be used to adjust the setting of two potentiometers in unison.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevation of the controller of our invention with parts broken away and'with the controller in neutral position;

FIGURE 2 is a view, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the position of the controller at one end of its travel;

FIGURE 3 is a view, similar to FIGURE 1, showing the controller at the opposite end of its travel;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the controller showing it connected to control two potentiometers; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing a second embodiment of our invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, reference numeral 2 indicates the controller of our invention. This consists of a frame made up of two spaced apart plates 4 which are held in spaced apart relationship by means of spacers 6, 8 and 10 which are aligned with openings in the plates 4. Each spacer is internally threaded at each end for receiving screws 14 which in conjunction with the spacers hold the plates 4 together. A hollow shaft 16 having a pinion 18 attached thereto is rotatably mounted in the plates 4. As shown the shaft 16 and pinion 18 are integral. Rotatably mounted on the spacer 10 is a gear segment 20 which has teeth 22 on its lower end and an opening 24 at its upper end for receiving a handle 26. A pin 28 extends through the gear segment 20 centrally above the teeth 22. Also rotatably mounted on the spacer 10 are two stop levers 30 and 30'. The stop lever 30 has a hub 32 at its upper end with an opening 34 therethrough for receiving the spacer 10 and a downwardly extending segment 36. A circular slot 38 is provided through the segment 36 and an abutment 40 is provided at the bottom of the segment 36 centrally thereof. A tapped hole 42 is provided at the bottom of segment 36 at the end opposite slot 38. A spring pin 44 is threaded into the hole 42 and extends outwardly therefrom on the side opposite gear segment 20. The stop lever 30' is constructed in the same manner as stop lever 30' and similar parts are indicated by priming the reference numerals. A groove 46 is provided inthe pin 44 for a purpose which will appear later. The gear segment 20 and stop levers 30 and 30' are held in spaced apart relationship on the spacer 10 by means of washers 48, 48, 50 and 50'. Stop pins 52 and 52 are attached one to each plate 4 by means o'f screw 54. Stop pins 52 and 52 have portions 56 and 56', respectively, which extend to the gear segment 20. The ends 56 and 56' are received in the slots 38 and 38', respectively. The ends of the pin 28 are positioned so as to bear against the abutments 40 and 40'. In other words the center of abutments 40 and 40 rotate around the axis of spacer 10 on the same radius as the axis of the pin 28. A coil spring 58 surrounds the washer 50 and has two outwardly extending end portions 60 and 62. The end portion 60 is received in groove 46 of pin 44 and the end 62 bears against the stop pin 52. A similar spring 58' surrounds the washer 50 with its end 60 being received in groove 46' and its end 62 bearing against the stop pin 52'.

When the controller 2 is used in conjunction with two potentiometers 64 as shown in FIGURE 5 it will be mounted as in the following manner:

Each potentiometer will be mounted in the same manner so that only one will be described in detail. Potentiometer 64 consists of a housing 66 having a shaft 68 mounted for rotation therein and extending from one end thereof. A ring 70 of carbon or other conductor is secured to the housing 66 in any suitable manner but is insulated therefrom by means of insulation 72. A wiper arm 74 attached to the shaft 68 contacts the surface of the ring 70. An exteriorally threaded ring 76 is secured to the housing 66 around the shaft 68. A plate 78 has an opening 80 therein of substantially the same diameter as ring 76 and an opening 82 at the lower end thereof. The plate 78 is positioned over the ring 76 and is held in position by means of lock nuts 84. A hole 86 is provided in the adjacent plate 4 and a pin 88 passed through the holes 82 and 86 so as to hold the plate 78 from rotation. This in turn prevents the housing 66 from rotating. The shaft 68 extends into the opening of shaft 16 and is secured for rotation therewith by means of set screw 90. Thus when the shaft 16 rotates the shafts 68-of both potentiometers will rotate therewith while the housings 66 remain stationary with respect to the plates 4.

The operation of our device is as follows:

Since the spring pressure exerted on stop levers 30 and 30' by means of arms 60 and 60 of springs 50 and 50' holds the stop levers against the stop pins 52 and 52' and because the pin 28 engages abutments 40 and 40' the gear segment 20 is normally held in centered position as shown in FIGURE 1. By rotating gear segment 20 toward abutment 40 as shown in FIGURE 2, pin 28 will move the stop lever 30 with it and this movement can continue until the stop pin 52 prevents further movement. Movement of the gear segment 20 will also rotate pinion 18 and with it shafts 16 and 68 so as to adjust the potentiometers 64. When the handle 26 is released the gear segment 20 and stop lever 30 will return to centered position due to the force exerted by spring 58 on pin 44. Movement of the gear segment 20 in the opposite direction as shown in FIGURE 3 will result in similar movements except that the rotation of shafts 16 and 68 will be in the opposite direction.

FIGURE 6 shows a modification of our invention in which the controller may be moved to more than one known position on each side of neutral. In this embodiment shaft 16 is the same as shaft 16 except that a plurality of indentations Q2 are drilled therein on each side of the neutral position of the shaft. While only three indentations are shown on the one side only it will be understood that more or less indentations may be provided and that the arrangement on both sides will be the same. The indentations are preferably equally spaced. A sleeve 93 having an axial hole 94 therethrough is attached to plate 4 adjacent the holes 92 with the hole 94 being in the same vertical plane as indentations 92. A steel ball 95 is forced against shaft 16 by means of a spring 96 having one end bearing against an adjusting screw 97 which is threaded into the lower end of opening 94.

In operation, the ball 95 will bear against the outer surface of shaft 16' when the handle 26 is in the neutral position shown in FIGURE 1. When the shaft 16 is rotated in either direction from neutral the spring 96 will force the ball 95 into the first indentation 92 so that the operator will feel the resisting force and will stop movement of handle 26 if this is the desired position. If it is desired to move the shaft 16' to another position additional force is exerted on the handle 26 and the ball 95 will move out of the first indentation 92 into the second indentation 92. At this position the operator will again feel the resisting force and stop or move the handle 26 forwardly as desired into a succeeding hole.

While two embodiments of our invention have been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. A controller comprising a housing, a pinion shaft having an axial opening therethrough mounted in said housing, a pinion secured to said shaft, a spacer spaced from said pinion shaft with its axis parallel to the pinion shaft, a gear segment rotatably mounted on said spacer with its teeth in mesh with the teeth of said pinion, means for rotating said gear segment about its axis, a pin projecting centrally from said gear segment from each side thereof adjacent the teeth thereof, a pair of stop levers rotatably mounted on said spacer one on each side of said gear segment and extending toward the pinion shaft, each of said stop levers having a circular slot therein with its axis coinciding with the axis of the associated stop lever, a central abutment on each stop lever at the end adjacent the teeth of said gear segment and adapted to contact said gear segment pin, a pair of stop pins mounted on said housing one extending into each of said circular slots, resilient means for returning said gear segment and one of said stop levers from an outer position with its pin bearing against the abutment of said one of said stop levers and the outer end of the slot of said one of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin to a centered position with the inner end of the slot of said one of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin, and resilient means for returning said gear segment and the other of said stop levers from an outer position with its pin bearing against the abutment of said other of said stop levers and the outer end of the slot of said other of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin to a centered position with the inner end of the slot of the said other of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin.

2. A controller according to claim 1 including a ball, and resilient means urging said ball against the outside of said pinion shaft, said pinion shaft having a plurality of spaced apart indentations therein arranged in a plane normal to the axis of said pinion shaft for receiving said ball.

3. A controller comprising a housing, a pinion shaft having an axial opening therethrough mounted in said housing, a pinion secured to said shaft, a spacer spaced from said pinion shaft with its axis parallel to the pinion shaft, a gear segment rotatably mounted on said spacer with its teeth in mesh with the teeth of said pinion, means for rotating said gear segment about its axis, a pin projecting centrally from said gear segment from each side thereof adjacent the teeth thereof, a pair of stop levers rotatably mounted on said spacer one on each side of said gear segment and extending toward the pinion shaft, each of said stop levers having a circular slot therein with its axis coinciding with the axis of the associated stop lever, a central abutment on each stop lever at the end adjacent the teeth of said gear segment and adapted to contact said gear segment pin, a spring pin secured to each stop ever at the end opposite the circular slot and projecting outwardly away from the gear segment, a pair of stop pins mounted on said housing one extending into each of said circular slots, a pair of coil springs surrounding said spacer one adjacent each stop lever on the side oppos1t e said gear segment, each of said coil springs having a pair of outwardly extending arms one bearing against the associated stop pin and the other bearing against the as sociated spring pin. H

4. A controller according to claim 3 including a ball, and resilient means urging said ball against the outside of said pinion shaft, said pinion shaft having a plurality of spaced apart indentations therein arranged in a plane normal to the axis of said pinion shaft for receiving said ball.

5. In combination with a pair of potentiometers each including a-housing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, a conductor, and an arm attached to said shaft and bearing against said conductor; a controller for moving the arms of the potentiometers in unison, said controller comprising a housing, a pinion shaft having an axial opening therethrough mounted in said controller housing, a pinion secured to said shaft, a spacer spaced from said pinion shaft with its axis parallel to the pinion shaft, a gear segment rotatably mounted on said spacer with its teeth in mesh with the teeth of said pinion, means for rotating said gear segment about its axis, a pin projecting centrally from said gear segment from each side thereof adjacent the teeth thereof, a pair of stop levers rotatably mounted on said spacer one on each side of said gear segment and extending toward the pinion shaft, each of said stop levers having a circular slot therein with its axis coinciding with the axis of theassociated stop lever, a central abutment on each stop lever at the end adjacent the teeth of said gear segment and adapted to contact said gear segment pin, a pair of stop pins mounted on said controller housing one extending into each of said circular slots, resilient means for returning said gear segment and one of said stop levers from an outer position with its pin bearing against the abutment of said one of said stop levers and the outer end of the slot of said one of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop in to a centered position with the inner end of the slot of said one of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin, resilient means for returning said gear segment and the other of said stop levers from an outer position with its pin bearing against the abutment of said other of said stop levers and the outer end of the slot of said other of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin to a centered position with the inner end of the slot of the said other of said stop levers bearing against the associated stop pin, means securing said potentiometer housings to opposite sides of said controller housing, and means securing said potentiometer arm shafts in the axial opening of said pinion shaft for rotation therewith.

6. The combination of claim 5 including a ball, and resilient means urging said ball against the outside of said pinion shaft, said pinion shaft having a plurality of spaced apart indentations therein arranged in a plane normal to the axis of said pinion shaft for receiving said ball.

7. In combination with a pair of potentiometers each including a housing, a shaft rotatably mounted insaidhousing, a conductor, and an arm attached to said shaft and bearing against said conductor; a controller for moving said arms of the potentiometers in unison, said controller comprising a housing, a pinion shaft having an axial opening therethrough mounted in said controller housing, a pinion secured to said shaft, a spacer spaced from said pinion shaft with its axis parallel to the pinion shaft, a gear segment rotatably mounted on said spacer with its teeth in mesh with the teeth of said pinion, means for rotating said gear segment about its axis, a pin projecting centrally from said gear segment from each side thereof adjacent the teeth thereof, a pair of stop levers rotatably mounted on said spacer one on each side of said gear segment and extending toward the pinion shaft, each of said stop levers having a circular slot therein with its axis coinciding with the axis of the associated stop lever, a central abutment on each stop lever at the end adjacent the teeth of said gear segment and adapted to contact said gear segment pin, a spring pin secured to each stop lever at the end opposite the circular slot and projecting outwardly away from the gear segment, a pair of stop pins mounted on said controller housing one extending into each of said circular slots, a pair of coil springs surrounding said spacer one adjacent each stop lever on the side opposite said gear segment, each of said coil springs having a pair of outwardly extending arms one bearing against the associated stop pin and the other bearing against the associated spring pin, means securing said potentiometer housings to opposite sides of said controller housing, and means securing said potentiometer arm shafts in the axial opening of said pinion shaft for rotation therewith.

8. The combination of claim 7 including a ball, and resilient means urging said ball against the outside of said pinion shaft, said pinion shaft having a plurality of spaced apart indentations therein arranged in a plane normal to the axis of said pinion shaft for receiving said ball.

No references cited.

BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTROLLER COMPRISING A HOUSING, A PINION SHAFT HAVING AN AXIAL OPENING THERETHROUGH MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, A PINION SECURED TO SAID SHAFT, A SPACER SPACED FROM SAID PINION SHAFT WITH ITS AXIS PARALLEL TO THE PINION SHAFT, A GEAR SEGMENT ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SPACER WITH ITS TEETH IN MESH WITH THE TEETH OF SAID PINION, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID GEAR SEGMENT ANOUT ITS AXIS, A PIN PROJECTING CENTRALLY FROM SAID GEAR SEGMENT FROM EACH SIDE THEREOF ADJACENT THE TEETH THEREOF, A PAIR OF STOP LEVERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SPACER ONE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID GEAR SEGMENT AND EXTENDING TOWARD THE PINION SHAFT, EACH OF SAID STOP LEVERS HAVING A CIRCULAR SLOT THEREIN WITH ITS AXIS COINCIDING WITH THE AXIS OF THE ASSOCIATED STOP LEVER, A CENTRAL ABUTMENT ON EACH STOP LEVER AT THE END ADJACENT THE TEETH OF SAID GEAR SEGMENT AND ADAPTED TO CONTACT SAID GEAR SEGMENT PIN, A PAIR OF STOP PINS MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSIN ONE EXTENDING INTO EACH OF 